For A Reason
by Lovely.K
Summary: A one-shot for the film, The Conjuring. Takes place during the eight days after the Maurice exorcism. "He didn't know how long it'd be before he also cracked. He needed her; he needed his wife, his Lorraine. And he could tell that this time, a piece of her had been taken that was so large, he couldn't fathom fully seeing his lively, loving wife again." Ed/Lorraine, The Conjuring.


[A/N] This is my take on the characters from the movie, not the real couple & their experiences after the Maurice case & before the beginning of the movie. Enjoy. Please review if you'd like to see more fictions for The Conjuring!

The first day is still a blur for him. But the 7 after are like a terrible nightmare that burrows into your mind and refuses to leave. The first four days he spent with her, the three after, with their daughter. He would've stayed with her forever but on the third day he realized she was gone. Completely checked out of her own body. His Lorraine wasn't there and he didn't know when she would be. But their daughter was there and she was frightened, terrified of what was happening in her family. And Lorraine would've wanted him to care for her first.

He can remember walking her through the doors of their home, hoping the familiar surroundings would help to awaken her ashen face. But not a hunt of color returned, not in the skin of her face, not in her delicate neck, nothing in her dull pale eyes. He moved to pull off her jacket but she grabbed his hand with a strength he didn't think she'd have in that moment and pulled him to her. His hands went her hips as he tried to look her in the eyes, those eyes. But she wouldn't meet his gaze. His hands traveled upward and he suddenly heard a whimper, a small hiss of pain. He could see her chin waver and drew his hands back. She didn't say anything as his hand went to her shirt, picking up the bottom and rolling it upward to reveal her beautiful stomach and her horrifyingly bruised ribs.

His eyes almost welled as he looked at his wife. Bruised and broken. His hand fell away and the shirt floated back into place. He took a step back, to take in this woman as her arms wrapped around herself. His heart broke and his eyes welled up as he pulled her to him, leaning down and scooping her up. He carried her up the stairs just as he had on their wedding night. Only now, it wasn't her giggles he heard, it was silence. An eerie silence as her face burrowed into his neck.

He gingerly placed her on the bed and made his way to their dresser. Lorraine loved her colored silk nightgowns but he couldn't stand to see her in those right now. He reached into his own drawer, pulling out the softest grey long sleeved shirt he'd ever owned. Then he reached into her bottom drawer and pulled out underwear, her cotton pajama pants, the ones she saved especially for when she was sick. He crossed the room back to her and asked her to sit up. When she pushed herself up, he helped her to raise her sore and tired arms while he pulled off her blouse. He reached behind her, catching the scent of her hair, drawing comfort from the normalcy of it. He undid the clasp of her bra, sliding the straps off of her arms. As he unfolded the shirt his eyes travelled the length of her body, the one he worshipped. But all of the dark angry marks he found there made him pull his gaze away. He slipped the shirt over her head and for the first time could see a glimmer of something hopeful in her eyes. He ran a hand through her hair and leaned forward to leave a kiss on her forehead.

"Lay down baby."

And she did. He made his way to end of the bed and began to tug on the end of her skirt, she lifted her hips and it slid off with ease. And suddenly as she lay there in just her underwear he became nervous to touch her again, nervous to scare her. But her eyes met his and he was able to lean forward, grasping the material as her eyes remained on his eyes. The dull blue assuring him it was alright as he slipped off her underwear and slipped on the new pair, quickly sliding on the pants as well. She relaxed into the bed, pulling a pillow tight into her chest, as her eyes remained intent on the wall. He breathed out, unsure of what to do. The only thing he knew was that he didn't want to leave her, he couldn't do it. So he made his way to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

As he brushed his teeth, he thought of their daughter, away at his parents. He grasped the sink, his toothbrush forgotten in his hand. He didn't know how long it'd be before he also cracked. He needed her; he needed his wife, his Lorraine. And he could already tell that this time, a piece of her had been taken that was so large, he couldn't fathom fully seeing his lively loving wife again. Ed sniffed back anything he was feeling and looked up into the mirror again. He practically dropped his toothbrush as he startled. There was Lorraine, in the mirror, behind him. He spun on his heel and she came forward. Her eyes settled on the counter where her toothbrush and her face wash sat. Ed shook his head, he should've known. Lorraine, would never be able to sleep without completing her routine. He grabbed her hand and led her to the counter where he grasped her hips, moving to sit her on the counter.

He grabbed the face wash and a cloth and came to settle himself between her knees and began to wash away the makeup that he'd thought she'd never needed to wear. When her face was fresh, he helped her down and she grabbed her toothbrush, they both washed in silence. He helped her into bed and changed into his pajamas before rolling into bed on his own side. He reached over and turned off the lamp. Staring up at the ceiling he could feel her gaze on his chest. Turning onto his side he grabbed her hand which rest over the covers, bringing it between his and kissing her knuckles.

"Lorraine-"

But she made a small shushing noise and he closed his mouth, bringing her hand down to rest on his chest. For a moment they remained that way, just content to look into each other. And though he wanted nothing more than to watch her fall into a peaceful sleep his eyes got the best of him and slid shut. Only to be startled awake a few hours later by a blood curdling scream and a pain in his shoulder where Lorraine had struck him, thrashing around. He had tried to help her, calm her without waking her but then he realized that she was in a waking nightmare, her eyes open and her heartbeat erratic. Her screams turned to sobs and he held her while she cried. And when the crying subsided he wasn't surprised to see the look in her eye, more vacant than it had ever been. Her soul had been ripped out that evening and whatever it was that ripped it from her continued to steal fragments of it for the next seven days.

He watched as the bags under her eyes became permanent fixtures, the fullness in her cheeks began to hollow, her full and beautiful hips began to jut out. He watched as she fell apart in the hands of evil. The love of his life slowly slipping away. But as the minutes turned to hours and the days turned into weeks, she came back to him in shards. Tiny pieces creating a whole. And when she was practically back to him, when her small smiles almost turned into small laughs, he vowed. He vowed to never let her turn into darkness. To never let her see another thing in her life that would make her feel anything less than whole. He vowed to protect her. Because God had brought them together and he would never be willing to let her go.


End file.
